Fellow Stories
True gap year stories from Fellows abroad!
Check out the latest blogs from Global Citizen Year Fellows in Brazil, Ecuador, and India!
Category
Class Year
Country
Transitions and Transformations
Ilana Marder-Eppstein
2013-10-02
I left home one month from today. Flew to the coast, a caterpillar with butterflies in her stomach, anticipating who and what I would find there. As the plane shuttled me from Chicago to San Francisco memories of home flooded me in a wave of emotions. The crunch of the leaves beneath my feet as I walked, lunch box in hand,...
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Week 1 of Otavalian Life
Emily Hockett
2013-10-02
After months of preparation and orientation, we were heading to our communities for real. I was the first to be dropped off, and my family arrived with balloons and flowers for me and pineapple cake for our entire group. My host mom, Tania, was crying and I gave “besos” to my host dad Jamie, 14...
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Empathy
JT Su
2013-10-02
For the past several years of my adolescence, I have always seemed to possess bitterness towards the world around me, appalled at how people could be so judgmental of who I am. Growing up in a predominantly Asian community, where there is a lot of pressure to succeed academically, and even more pressure to attend...
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The Reality of Culture Shock
Conner Evans
2013-10-02
During my first three weeks in Ecuador, I was living in a bubble. My host family in Quito was well off and provided the comforts of Internet, plumbing, and a warm shower. My daily schedule consisted of spending time with other Fellows, which involved speaking English and being with people who I knew and could connect with. Needless to...
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A Quick Preview of Home
Kaitlyn Johnke
2013-10-02
When I hear “Mariama(my name), ar nyameng(come eat),” from my host mother, Djalamba, I am immediately tremendously grateful for the opportunity to actively engage with my family members and community, even if I’m not really very hungry. Last week I was in my host site of the rural city of Kedougou and I was told...
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The Magic of Barks and Bread
Amanda Langan
2013-10-02
Every morning I wake up to the sound of dogs barking. Then I hear the blender. After that, there is a light rap on the accordion-like door of my converted office bedroom. My name echoes louder and louder until I realize that my host dad is about to barge in if I don’t make some...
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Cecily Montgomery
2013-10-02
The world is an extraordinary place. Though this statement seems obvious enough, I have realized how often I would forget it as I got caught up in the stresses and hustle and bustle of my life back at home. Meeting the fellows and arriving in Ecuador has brought this message back to me. The most incredible experience I have had...
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Quito, the capitol of the center of the world
Calvin Ross
2013-10-02
My favorite part about Ecuador so far is the way culture shock has affected me. I have a lot of friends around me who have lost their appetite and can’t bring themselves to eat hardly anything. I, on the other hand, don’t remember being nearly as hungry as when I left. So far, my appetite has been insatiable. My...
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Eu Não Sou Cathólica: Faith in Brazil
Libby Parker-Simkin
2013-10-02
On Sunday, my Italian-Brazilian host family took me to their church. This story will make more sense if I tell you that I grew up in a Unitarian Universalist congregation and I have attended Catholic church services exactly twice, once for my church’s Neighboring Faiths class, and the other for a good friend’s confirmation ceremony....
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